A passionate voyage
by Jayvers
Summary: A collection of small stories that revolve around the pairing of Kaito Momota and Maki Harukawa, from Danganronpa V3. Each piece is based by a prompt idea given by the Momoharu Week 2018 event held on Twitter, and it's meant to celebrate the pairing. Some stories contain spoilers about events involving both characters during the game, so be careful if you didn't finished it!
1. Day 1: Pregame

**Day 1: Another train ride (Pregame)**

He yawned, still not sure if he was tired or just bored. His right knuckles were hurt, pinching back a lively sensation upon his brain, a reminder of the purple marks over that piece of skin. A reminder of the many punches he gave during today's high school routine. Lately, violence felt dangerously different than when he was educated about it by his parents as a child. Rather than a perilous, adrenaline-fueled challenge to authorities, it became a norm. He was good at it, he had guts, resolve and a pretty straightforward way of seeing this rotten world known as society. It also was a way to gain some bonuses, to make a day easier at the cost of others. Sometimes, he thought about feeling bad for them. But was someone feeling bad for him? That last thought crossed his mind, while he mostly jumped into the train.

"Bah."

Looking around, only grayish silhouettes of people. More pawns over this twisted table. He tried to pass through them and get near another door, pushing them away kind of harshly in the process. Not even an apologizing or sorry word coming from his mouth, not even a worried expression nor a look to them. Just passing harshly. Yes, he could wait here, stopping, checking his phone, thinking about his own things or whatever, but he found a certain joy on acting like that. Just doing small things to mess with people, and perhaps make someone to notice him, to get irritated by him and start an scene. Getting the spotlight. He adored that. World felt like a TV screen lately, and he just needed to be a star.

He stopped just while arriving to the next door, but not because of his previous intention. Someone felt less gray for a moment. A girl, probably around his age, probably returning home from another common day at school too. Dark hair, collected into two long pigtails. Her red eyes seemed vibrant, focused, and something agitated inside him. That sight wasn't focusing on the outside world, like he was doing. Her phone's screen... even with the quiet concealing of her auriculars, he could recognize what she was looking with a stone-cold expression but a passionate stare. He approached, being near her, at her back. A hand tapped her left shoulder a couple of times before staying there.

"Danganronpa 52, huh? I watched the finale on prime time... an illegal download?"

The girl wasn't even flipping out or getting scared by his sudden appearance, touching and words. Instead, she just turned, blank for some seconds, and with the same serious expression she took off an auricular, pausing the streaming with a small touch of her finger.

"It's been online for some months. This is just... my favorite chapter."

The guy looked down at her again, with the expression of a predator satisfied with his prey. However, that was only a lingering thought, as this girl wasn't even hesitating. Those red eyes followed his scan, looked over his expression and didn't show any fear. He was kind of detesting it, or perhaps getting enticed, provoked by it. She stopped being partial gray and regained a complete color. She was his same kind.

"It's like you're waiting for one of those kidnappings. Do you think you can become a star?"

"... I don't get your point. I wouldn't try to be on the spotlight, if that was the case. Which is not, by the way. This is only entertainment..."

"That sounds so sketchy for a girl with burning eyes. I bet you would kill someone if the situation goes your flow. You don't need to lie."

The girl closed her eyes for a moment, trying to not grit her teeth too strongly. Another annoying freak. This was like when other idiots thought they could do whatever they want and bully her.

"I hate assumptions, and you're like everyone with them... I also hate killing. Won't be associated with anything like that. I'm the type that only dirties her hands if I need to defend myself. And believe me, I've washed them a lot of times, if you know what I mean."

"Ouch. Hehe. A tough one, huh? A delinquent in the streets, but a good girl in the sheets? That doesn't suit your ty-..."

He was silenced, her right elbow impacting against his stomach and making him back a little, a real _ouch_ coming out from his lips, this time. She knew how to hit simple and clean. He grabbed one of the upper bars and, clearly angered, returned forward, almost touching her back.

"What do you think you're doing? Wanna get in a problem?!" The guy yelled, his stare being solid serious now.

"I got into one without even asking, as usual." The girl returned, not swallowing any of his stupid, vapidly aggressive returnings. However, those last words made the seemingly delinquent stop for a moment, separating just some inches and grabbing firmly to the upper bar below her.

"As usual... You don't look the type that would get into that kind of stuff, doll." Somewhat of a malicious-looking grin, and then the girl sighed again while rolling her eyes, burnt out by his comments. "That's so typical. It's clear that you're just another idiot. I won't even remember you. Ah, and don't call me doll. Do you want to earn another one of these?" She said, preparing her elbow again.

"That's false! Actually, if I get into that game, you'll remember my name. Forever. It's only natural, as I... I'm born for that." The girl wasn't even curious, but she didn't want another bunch of minutes needing to deal with an aggressive weirdo, especially physically. She decided to respond, instead. "You were born to kill, right? Too many action movies and delusions. You should grow up, seriously. This doesn't work like that."

"You don't get the point. I was born to be an star! Rules doesn't matter, society neither... It's just me and my potential! I'm gonna be famous! A lot of coward dummies just fear about these kidnappings but if I get chosen someday... I'll leave an imprint nobody's going to forget." He almost laughed proudly about his own ideas, and the girl was starting to feel pumped up by the irritation he caused, fingers pressing tighter against her own phone, blocking it and... Seeing his mad smirk through the screen's reflection. "How are you going to do it? Danganronpa is a flashy show, clearly over the top. To be triumphant here, you need to be smart, and you... You don't look like that, sorry. Not the type."

The seemingly delinquent didn't stop grinning, a hand tapping her right shoulder like he was being superior, like teaching something to her. "You don't need to be smart when you have guts! A star is the one who's able to take risks... I'm going to do it... Definitely!" For a moment, that guy looked around, giving a chance for his eyes to pay attention to the myriad of gray faces around him, and how he detested them. "I'm going to kill everyone without hesitating. I'll turn the show into a bloody mess, and rise triumphant. The audience won't forget this smile. Never. I'll become a legend..."

On that, the girl just pressed her lips together, trying to process what to say. At the end, some words escaped, naturally.

"Do you wanna die?"

Blinking, perplexed, the taller guy looked down. He was now the one being irritated. This girl seemed to have all her defenses up, not even concerned about something as crude as killing. Danganronpa really twisted their vision, but that was coming naturally. They couldn't even explain why they felt irritated about something quite normal on their lives, as twisted as it sounded. "You only say bullshit. I won't die if I kill. That's the only law one can follow! And if you think you're that smart... What would you want, if participating?"

The inner tension held by the girl reduced in a moment, somehow, as that question made her remember a lot of things. How she couldn't choose, sometimes, on how many fights she had been without even wishing it, too. What she wanted was kind of convoluted, and perhaps, the exciting rollercoaster that a show like Danganronpa ended up being was somewhat a powerful tool for evading. She didn't want to live in a fantasy, but she truly wanted a stronger heart, even if she gave whatever she could for it every day. "I would want people to forget about me. I don't want to make an scene. Like in life... I bite when I'm bitten, but if I could choose... Hm. I would want a talent that would make people fear me. Definitely. I don't need to be someone remarkable, just having the tools for not being mistreated. I'm sorry, I won't leave you any impressive mark. Probably, I would try to kill you, because you would come for me. But unlike now, it would be different..." Fist clenching, she seemed quite prepared, but at the same time, her words were hiding a certain doubt. "You sound ambiguous. I don't know if something like being powerful and unnoticeable would be encased in only one talent... But, who knows? Perhaps you will be lucky, as Team Danganronpa is crazy as fuck!" This asshole was almost making fun of her, and she was going to... respond? No, too tired for that. She would swallow that shit and curse him later. Not another fight today. She wished she could correct him every time, as he was a fool. The guy, on the other hand, insisted in trying to confirm his own vision. "However, you're wrong at something more important. Leaving without a mark? Heh, that won't happen..." It was _leave a mark at you_ , but he twisted the meaning in his benefit. And while that happened, the train was stopping upon the next station. This weird guy wasn't even opening his window for a response.

Perhaps he was the kind of idiot that took the train just for a couple of stops instead of walking by feet for the reason of trying to catch the attention of these gray faces around him, like giving himself an excuse to shine in a darker way, to be the kind of twisted star he wished for. Now, as the doors were opening, he went bluntly, almost pushing the other girl and forcing her to grab on the nearest bar. He truly wanted to leave a mark here. She returned with a frown, and as indifference grew with his idiocy, now she was prepared for a challenge. She truly wanted to show him that she wasn't what she looked: and getting in another one of her daily problems and mistreatments was starting to feel less important. The opportunity was given, as when the guy stepped over the platform, as quick as to not let the doors close again, he turned, grinning at her and offering a thumbs up... just before turning it down, like the jerk he was, and sticking his tongue out.

"Listen, I will become a star with my own brightness! And if we coincide... I'll be sure to leave a mark on you, there's no way you will forget about me!"

The girl returned the challenge declaration with an intense stare she wished to have forever against anyone as him, and an almost smirk that could match his impression, almost squeezing her own phone at hand. "You dare. Better prepare, because I won't even let you approach me. Your delusional brightness... won't reach me."

The doors closed, and the train started to move again. As they were parting ways, their stares remained defiant of each other until their perception became blurry by the speed, like the small moment they shared.

It was time to return to a normal, boring life.


	2. Day 2: Flora

**Day 2: A nightfall bloom (Flora)**

"Remember. Don't be as loud as usual, Momota."

It was the second time Harukawa allowed him to do this. She wasn't as nervous or worried like the first time, but still, she wasn't feeling quite right with it. Momota, on the other hand, was the contrary. His eyes seemed vibrant, excited while looking around for the second time at the small surrounding. This was Harukawa's apartment: a petite place that barely fused a dormitory with the living room and kitchen, and a small room for the bathroom necessities. The only natural light that came inside was from a rather big window near the corner on which her modest bed rested, below of which a professional case with her weapons and other utilities was hidden. This small place was like a dot inside the nowhere of one of the city's most abandoned wards, perfect for people of lowly and questionable ways of living like Harukawa had. This was mostly the secret warehouse of an assassin, and she did poor to hide it: it wasn't dirty, but every furniture looked quite old, there were little to no decorations at all, a very poor lightning and a general grayish ambience. It was the kind of place that could absorb Momota's unstoppable spirit easily, but as this was the home of one of his sidekicks... he decided to change some things by himself.

"Huh? I'm very respectful, Harumaki! Don't worry, this place will talk by itself once we take care of it the proper way! I promised it!" Stretching his shoulders, Kaito approached the bed, leaving the two big bags he was carrying over its sheets.

"You're taking this too seriously for only... a boring apartment. I'm not even attached to this place." Maki looked at the astronaut with a serene impression over her face, playing with some hair locks, still curious about the bags. It was truth that Momota had his own plans, but as loud and exaggerated as he was, it only needed to pass a while until he slipped out his master idea. Surprising enough, Harukawa didn't seem to complain over it, too.

"Hey, you talk like if you were boring yourself. My sidekicks aren't boring! It's only that you need a bit of guidance! Like with other things, you tend to not pay attention to certain details." He caressed his goatee while checking the bags, giving himself a solid, wise-like impression. That irritated Harukawa, of course, who approached him with her fists closed. "Do you want to die?! Look who's talking, the one that only looks at what interests him!"

A giggle went out Momota's lips, secretly liking that sudden spurt of energy. He ended up ignoring her words, turning while holding two empty flower pots, wielding an irresistible smile. "Just look at these! We're starting our comfort project with a nice session of gardening!" It was a simple statement, but it was enough to make Harukawa stop and to turn her expression softer at the same time.

She would save that punch for later...

After a while, Harukawa realized that they ended up sitting over the floor with one pot each, and Momota was carefully teaching her how to properly plant a bunch of seeds inside of these, which wasn't difficult to start with. However, it wasn't only that he got extra passionate while telling her the basics: he was also talking cautiously about how she could take proper care of them to make the plants grow and bloom the best way. He talked like an expert, but judging by his tone, this time he wasn't selling any ideas. He knew what he was chewing there, and the best of it... he was enjoying this so much, perhaps as much as training, she thought. They took their time, with the astronaut not hurrying on his duties for once, and even extending his explanations as some sort of puerile way to make this moment last longer. But for her, it felt good, so good that she wouldn't mind if he extended it even more, so... "Hm. Momota... I didn't know you liked gardening that much. It's hard to admit, but you seem like knowing what you're talking about."

As expected, Momota didn't waste even a second for responding to that. "Don't be hard on me! Of course I love it! These green, quiet friends are tough buddies!" She raised an eyebrow, a bit confused about that metaphor, but he clarified soon."They put all their effort on growing up lively! It's a perfect example of what I say... Life's purpose is to be lived! My many adventures with nature and flora taught that to me, Harumaki, and now I will show it to you! Can't you feel it? The green life is quite unique at our planet, it's constantly growing and spreading. It shows how lucky we're, for being able to exist on such an unique planet. It's like the earth itself is constantly pushing ourselves to follow our dreams and objectives, we cannot remain stop if nature continues evolving!"

Harukawa couldn't hide a very brief giggle as shaking her head, still imitating his moves while planting the seeds. "... I don't think these supposed adventures of yours are evidencing anything about nature itself. It's just the place where we live. But... You have a point. We're lucky. I feel better when spring is around, for some reason. It's just I wasn't expecting you to know a lot about this. Taking care of plants? You hardly can take care of yourself, Momota." The astronaut scratched one of his cheeks nervously, while sighing deeply, not even noticing that he was dirtying it with the earth's dust. "You should slow down! What makes you think like that? I'm a hero, and heroes need a secret base... A place where you can meditate, relax and prepare the next step in your objectives. Plants are the best partners when it comes to have a chill. They're quiet and smell nice, they give a lot of amplitude to your comfort zone, like the sky does with the universe. It's only that they need a bit of attention to remain vigorous! Just like you, sidekicks!" That comment made Harukawa stop for a bit, blinking in curiosity and asking something precise that could be read from his long speech. "Are you implying that you have a lot of plants and flowers at home?" That thought seemed different from what she usually expected from him.

"Of course! When the Luminary of the Stars needs to study hard, for example... It works better when he's connected with nature. It's a natural approach to the universe!" _Stop talking about yourself in third person, idiot_. Harukawa would think. "I even have many of them at my grandparents' house, and since that place is quite big, I could take care of some climbing plants. They're like passionate buddies that want to reach the stars, too! In fact, Harumaki, I tend to choose these plants wisely... Each flower works adequately on a certain place, or with a certain person. If you think about it, it's a form of communication. And I'm sure you know what communication means!"

"Sigh... communication is the most important trait for an astronaut. Yes, this is like... the sixth time you said it this week?" Kaito laughed proudly after hearing that, and the assassin felt a certain form of embarrassment that made her go pouting in a cute way before she continued. "I understand. Makes sense, even for an idiot like you... However, if you're saying that, you still need to give me more explanations."

This time, Kaito was the curious one. "What do you mean exactly, Harumaki?" And also this time, she was the one offering a challenging frown. "You didn't tell me what kind of plants we're planting."

She seemed like lecturing him for something as simple as that. But Kaito, rather than responding with one of his quick, childish excuses, went rarely serious. One could say that he was hiding a certain flustering. That surprised Harukawa quite a lot, considering his usual behavior, but she wasn't letting him escape out of this. It meant that this _comfort project_ , as he liked to call it, on slowly changing her apartment for turning it into a more personal space was important to him somehow. Kaito lidded his eyes for a moment and then talked, trying to not look directly at hers. "A man mustn't tell about his passions, he must show them! I wanted to wait until they blossom but... you're right, Harumaki. If I want you to take proper care of these little buddies, you must know!" With one gulp, he scratched the back of his neck, the usual mania that happened when he felt even just a bit nervous. "I chose a certain type of flower for you." Maki's mood changed completely, from an angry worry to a messed up confusion and flustering. _For her? What was he trying to say here?_ "Night Phlox! Many of them. I'll let you discover their own beauty by yourself, Harumaki, but they're perfect for you. During daytime, when they're closed, they stand in red, a color that's quite reminiscent of you... but they also grow and bloom with moonlight! And when they do, these petals open widely with a vibrant white! So clear, it gives a strong feeling of cleansing! I'm sure you'll feel them cheering up on you every time you come here!"

There were many things she could say, or wanted to say, better said. But only specific, soft words came like a whistle, out of her lips. "When I come here? You're so dense, Momota..."

Kaito sighed, nodding slightly. It wasn't a topic he liked talking about. It infuriated him somehow, not about its nature, as more on how affected her will of leaving the undesired behind and embracing her dreams, finally. Loving herself. But he needed to add something, and talked with a decided frown over his face, looking at the window. "I figured you usually return to this place very late at night. Probably, you clean yourself up and try to sleep and nothing more... and that's why this apartment seems so boring. You don't want to invest that much in a place that reminds you about what you're doing. But you know my take on this! This is what you're doing, not what you are. And perhaps, the little phlox will help you forget about these things and rest better, in order to continue chasing your dreams next day. They'll thank you for the moonlight rays, and give back a welcoming sight, a welcoming scent... They will remind you of who you're for real!"

Harumaki felt a lot of sensations struggling and twirling around her gut, then down her stomach. It was hard to figure that Kaito thought about all of this, that he truly wanted her to think on something so delicate with just a bunch of flowers. Or perhaps, they were more than just a bunch of flowers. He liked to give meaning to everything, like he had an enormous orbital power that encouraged his ego. But Kaito was much more than that, and she knew it. Clearly, without doubts. This was... she didn't want to express it with words. She wanted to take on action, like he often stated. Return the feeling back while teaching him something.

However, as she was going to lean and approach him, Kaito got up suddenly, palming out the dust over his hands. She realized the seeds were planted. In more than one way...

"And I also suggested that other thing to you, Harumaki!" Hands over his hips, like a proud hero. Suddenly, he seemed like returning to his usual goofiness. "A teddy bear would fancy your bed a lot. It suits you!" Was that a tease, knowing one of her weaknesses? Was he trying to flee out the targeting of one of his own weak spots? Whatever it was, it worked in the end, because Maki gritted her teeth, cheeks all red, and almost killing him with her stare. "Shut up, Momota! I told you not to mention that!"

Kaito laughed again, and went back directly to the fridge, then opening it and peeking inside. He grabbed a can of cold tea for himself and cracked it open without even asking if he could. "Yeah, yeah! That, and I will help you painting these walls with a powerful and renovator color... after having some tea! Thanks, Harumaki, you know how to take care of your boss!"

Now being at her limit, she was clearly infuriated, getting up and going to face him this time. "You're a reckless idiot! At least you could've asked for permission to open my fridge! Ah, I see... You want to get your face _painted_ , right?" And she was going to do it with her knuckles, considering how tightly her fists were clenching. He continued gritting like a dork, facing her. Both liked challenges, and it seemed that they were going to take this for long, as usual.

At the same time, while doing so, both of them forgot about their weaknesses.

Many weeks after that moment, it was nighttime. The door of the apartment opened again, a cloaked figure sneaking inside it, silently. It was almost pitch black, the only light coming from that lonely window. It was an intense, pearl-like bright, that seemed to want to engulf the darkness embracing around. The assassin almost threw her bag containing the murdering weapons for today's mark over the ground, like trying to get rid of a nasty sentiment rapidly. She felt kind of empty about the twisted adrenaline and grief that these missions produced into her, but at the same time, she couldn't get rid of that detestable feeling. She didn't want it, she wanted to fight the cult, to break her chains directly and secure the orphanage at the same time. The fact that the stench of fresh blood was still permeating around, as she looked at her hands, didn't help in trying to push these grieving thoughts away. Some of her fingers were still bloody, and she could feel the slight burn of some bruises around her arms and even over her face. Today got pretty close and brutal. She needed a shower. But even the redeeming water wouldn't take these feelings away completely before she would try to find some sleep...

However, she turned, looking at the window with her eyes below her hood. There were many little ones waiting for her. A few days ago, the flowers of night phlox finally blossomed after following the plan, and as the moon was shining strongly tonight, they looked radiant. The small, timid red bulbs at day were now opening wide, showing their white petals with a warm energy that reminded her of a hug. They were here to cheer her up, to make her consider again that, like a certain idiot would say, _life's purpose is to be lived_. And, like he also said, that this _was the way she was doing, not the way she was_... Reminding her that she had clear objectives now, that she was chasing her dreams while trying to be who she believed being.

She approached the pots and when she was near them, not daring to touch the flower petals with her dirtied hands, Maki admired them. Suddenly and slowly, that knot around her chest was unfolding, disappearing. Her mind came clear, and the sudden heaviness of feeling tired came back. Natural. She needed that shower, and throwing herself over the bed too, trying to find her own rest and get up powerful again. She was impressed by how something this simple could turn her vision upside now, and help her to deal with so much internal grief. To not feel trapped continuously and, like these petals, opening her heart to her feelings and dreams.

"Thank you. I won't even stop... I will fight my own way. For you, for them... For me."

Turning slowly, she started to take off her cloak as she was heading to the bathroom. Her red eyes vibrated at the same time, like the smile that was now over her expression.


	3. Day 3: First date

**Day 3: The wheel of fate (First date)**

"Are you sure that you're ok?"

"C'mon, Harumaki! A small accident isn't enough to bring down a hero!"

"You rolled down the green and almost fell to the river. If I wasn't here to catch you..."

"Wow! That move was splendid! It's pretty clear that my special training is starting to show its results!"

"We've been training for more than a year, idiot. And I had these reflexes before. What are you trying to say?"

Kaito didn't respond, just looking at Maki with a vibrant expression. Even after the accident, he seemed cheerful, and that idiotic, childish smile was enough to make her put her own defenses down, and to pout her cheeks slightly while looking at the water. The sun was setting, and soon enough, the moon would shine for them.

"... Whatever you were trying to say, it doesn't matter now. We aren't going to make it." The girl rested her arms over her knees, trying to relax, fixating on their reflection over the water surface. They were next to each other, and almost behind them laid the astronaut's bike. Some minutes before, they were in a hurry as trying to get to their destination. But as Kaito was pretty excited for this day and tried to prepare everything himself, he forgot about his bike and the few repairs it needed. Riding it like a rocket, the frontal wheel broke and went flying around, making both of them fall near the riverside. Maki's reflexes were as perfect as always, basically doing an impressive somersault and landing perfectly, then dashing while the astronaut turned into a barrel going down the small hill, shouting like the idiot he was. For Maki, this was pretty normal, acting like she was the victim of a surprise attack: quick and efficient. If any, she looked like the heroine of a flashy and dynamic manga, one of the kind Momota would enjoy imagining being the protagonist of. One could be sure that he would be amazed if he could look at her pulling these moves at the moment. Too bad he was pretty busy trying to not eat all that dirt and grass while rolling down! She jumped and tackled his body just in time for him to not fall into the water. This date would've become quite wet... in a not pleasing way.

"What if we can't make it? As you say, that doesn't matter! We're here, it was fun! And it'll get funnier! Don't tell me that you're wanting to go home now..." Momota continued to be cheerful, closing and shaking a fist before rubbing his left cheek. There was still some dirt over it.

"Don't make assumptions about what I want, Momota. We agreed to go to the museum!" Maki seemed angry, looking at Momota and getting irritated about his unchanging mood. "I thought you wanted to see that limited space expo they prepared! That was the excuse, right? And... don't get me started." She turned back, looking at the useless mess that his bike turned into. "Your bike is broken now."

Momota grabbed the plastic bag near the bike and threw a hand inside, taking out two sodas. Before talking, he put one over Maki's hand and hurried to open his, raising it to offer a toast and induce the assassin to drink with him, as a way to pump the mood up. "Hey, don't say that. These two weren't harmed too. Let's celebrate!"

"Don't say what, exactly?" Maki replied, looking at the fresh can and containing a sigh, before following the flow and opening it.

"Our plan wasn't an excuse for anything, Harumaki. It's our first date! We're supposed to enjoy it with a burning passion, everything we make goes in a way that's as strong-willed as ourselves while chasing our dreams!" He shook his can, waiting for hers to be pushed against it, but Maki was occupied trying to look away, hiding a blush. _First date_ still sounded quite weird to her, even while liking it. "And well, you're right. I'll admit it! That expo sounded awesome! It will be awesome, definitely...The perfect event for the Luminary of the Stars... but it isn't like a shooting star. It won't fade. We can make it the mark of our next date."

She took a small sip from the soda can and hid a smile behind that move. _Another date_ , he was so sure about it, he was feeling nice with this. And yet she couldn't stop turning around the idea inside her head... Was she allowed to feel like this, and just enjoy a private moment for herself? Was she allowed to feel something for someone, and try to form a future? There's no way she was going to affirm to his statement, and became a bit quiet, holding her can without drinking anymore from it. That silence got Kaito more than a bit nervous, and as turning with a focused, serious stare, he fixated on her hands. Despite the silence, they were firm, without signs of nervousness like him... "Oeh, don't you want to drink? They're still quite nice and fresh..." Harukawa seemed so engulfed by her own thoughts, but at the same time, she managed to respond to his vapid question quickly. "I'm not thirsty. I couldn't be. I had more than enough of drinks... You invited me to boba tea, Momota. Taking too much sugar won't help with your training schedule. Take some notes, genius."

Momota backed a bit, almost putting his hands up and almost spilling the soda over his jacket with it. So reckless! That reaction felt cute for Harukawa, who did her best to hide a modest giggle, wanting for him to get serious. But Momota was quick reacting on any challenge. "Hey, hey, hey! We're on our free day, no training today! That boba tea you suggested was quite tasty, but this is good, too. It makes me feel really refreshed, after such a scene! If you want to explore the vastness of space, you need to have a constant reserve of energy! And... more than that. You're quite severe with my decisions, stop talking like my mother, Harumaki!"

 _That's because you're a child_. She would think, but not in a bad way. She was sure that in the end, after having passed more than a year with his presence at her life, Momota was more than okay with her corrections. She couldn't explain why, but he always returned to her, to put on the spotlight many mundane, seemingly simple details. She always returned something back, and they would get into a discussion. They were quite neutral and far from heated, even if they looked like giving everything out with their exchanges. That was their form of communication. Quite different behaviors, but a shared passion. There was a natural flow going between them. The same flow that made her realize that she was feeling love, even if many time was needed for her to finally be open about it.

That flow. Exactly. Maki was thinking about that...

"Don't worry about the bike. A hero can handle his tools! I'll work on it tomorrow morning. I just need to think about what we're doing next... Hmmmm..." The astronaut wasn't noticing it, now rolling his eyes around and caressing his goatee, but Harukawa was paying attention at their reflection all this time. The water waved calmly and their image was pretty clear. She liked seeing them together, as simple as sitting here, making some exchanges like any other day. It became a routine she was digging, as to avoid past fears that turned into scars by time. This didn't need to be special by force. They were making it special. That's why she was now turning her eyes, directing a stabbing stare to his doubtful expression. Momota could feel the sudden aura judging him and gritted his teeth, looking back. However, Harukawa only wanted to make something clear. "You don't need to plan anything, Momota. Stop playing the hero, right now..." She sounded so soft for her usual tone, almost nostalgic. Kaito felt something convoluting inside his chest and didn't know how to react about it. The assassin wasn't finishing, though. "Don't you realize? You were quite excited all the time, making all sort of plans after we both agreed to try this. Very pushy, even for yourself. Every time we met, you reminded me about what kind of awesome adventures we would be having. Look now, awesome adventures? We went walking around the streets, tried to go shopping, we ate a bunch of sweets at that... cute cafeteria. You bought a couple of boba teas for us to enjoy, and didn't even talk too much about the expo. An event you were clearly excited for like a child... You constantly brought it back at our training sessions with Saihara during last month. And now, you're suddenly fixating in other things..." She took some air in a soft stop and continued. "It's strange to not hear you talk about space for this long."

As Maki's eyes lidded down, with her face offering a petite, honest smile, Momota couldn't hide a blush. He was feeling cornered right now, and a hero like him can't show that kind of weakness. He must stand strong! Especially now, for her! But he couldn't do anything about it, fists closing like emulating the knot he was feeling at his throat. She was blatantly evidencing what he felt and did since he knew they were going to try on dating.

"Look at you now, Momota. Where are you? You should laugh, change my talking topic and say something stupid instead... but you aren't doing anything. I can feel you. I know that..." Maki herself gulped, before looking up at him. He wanted the kind of Momota she was used to coming back now. But she understood why he was acting like this. That's why she talked in a confident tone, wanting for him to chill around her. "You tried to make me feel nice. You wanted to do many things that I would enjoy. As many of them as possible... You're all talk, Momota, but you should know that your true intentions are pretty clear for me now, just by looking at that reckless stare of you..." _They're eyes full of hope_ , she would say if opening completely. But Harukawa wasn't a girl of many words like him, even if she was giving some sort of speech now. She needed time to accept her feelings. "Suddenly, the museum isn't as exciting as drinking a boba tea... How's it? Is that what you would say, idiot? Of course not. But you... you wanted to make me feel like normal. Am I wrong?"

Momota was simply amazed, not minding if he was posing himself as this emotionally weak so far. His eyes were still full of that childish, powerful hope. He was still himself. But now, he could only look at her and think on how far she reached past her own limits. "Harumaki..."

The assassin didn't want any more speeches. He wasn't in the condition for them, she knew without any doubt. That's why she decided to take the action and lean slightly against him, side to side. She embraced his arm, while looking at their reflection. As the sun was almost saying goodbye now, their image together got eerier in a comforting way. Maki's heart was beating fast, and even if she couldn't check if his was feeling the same way, she found herself quite heroic at time. "You don't need to do that. It's stupid... in a way that doesn't suit you, even if you're a total idiot. Think about it, Kaito." Saying his name was like the most honest form of sincerity for her. "We experience a lot of things together. There's always a plan, even without one. You make me feel normal... because you don't give me time to think on another thing while we're together. That goes by just being yourself. I want to do things that I like... and also things that you like. I want to express to you what you express to me. It feels hard to find the words for that, but..."

"It's okay, Harumaki. I understood it." Kaito interrupted, leaning down his head slowly and resting against hers, just above for a moment. "Our date felt like... another one of our usual adventures."

 _And that's the best way it could feel_. Both thought, without saying it to each other, just feeling their breathing while looking at the water.

"However, I must say, we have the perfect plan right in front of us. Look!" Kaito said, opening his eyes widely, excited again.

"Hm. The stars are about to appear again." She would nod, looking up after enjoying their reflection one last time.

"I promise I won't push anything next time! I can't go back on my words as the stars are looking at us!"

As Momota recovered his seemingly heroic energy, Harukawa smiled, tightening the grip at his arm. It was almost impossible to imagine that a guy like him could contain his pushing instincts, but she felt good about it.

"Momota, I want to say that..."

Kaito flushed instantly, unprepared. This was going fast now. He could feel that heartbeat, like a rocket blasting off its way to the vast spa-

"Next time, I want the strawberry one. It's my favourite. Got it?"

"Oh?"

"You bought the grape boba just because it's purple and you liked it! You're so self-centered, idiot..."

The astronaut felt quite surprised again, but this time... he could feel how she was reassuring herself around her arm hug, hiding a funny smile. He ended up laughing, with a joyful intention.

"Okay, Harumaki! It isn't something that the Luminary of the Stars will forget!"


	4. Day 4: Stargazing

**Day 4: Honesty coming like a starlight (Stargazing)**

 _Suddenly, I'm feeling strange. This isn't like me... not finding any words to say!_

 _Perhaps it's just like that, while I'm walking with you, feeling the universe noticing us. The starry sky, the cold air, the sound of our steps while we're travelling without a determined destination. Just a momentum. We're raising our spirits, we're taking our possibilities, we're breathing. That's it, breathing! It isn't like we don't have a destination! For a hero and a sidekick, that cannot be possible, even when problems fade away... You'll always find a reason to follow your dreams. New hopes and paths open, you just need to blink a couple of times, and smile against the next challenge!_

 _That's it! Life's purpose is to be lived...!_

 _Or... perhaps it's that? Your expression. The way you offer communication. I love challenges, and you were one of the best! You're difficult to approach! A girl of few words, and with a seemingly "menacing" expression and attitude... That's how people look at you and think. But I will prove them wrong! You aren't like that! Since the moment I fixated on you, it was pretty clear. That's not a frightening stare!_

 _Your eyes burn with a passion I can relate to... with a longing sentiment. And it's proper of a hero to help someone reach those hopes and needs! You're strong, I'm sure you can reach them! You want them, you're only concealing yourself. But, oeh, you've met with the Luminary of the Stars! Nothing is unreachable for me!_

 _I must admit it. I'm surprised I'm not yelling these words at you. But I finally realized why. Someone like me must take risks to achieve victory. It's only natural, coming from passionate hearts! But I also want to reach things that seem far from my grasp! And that's why I'm not yelling these words proudly at you, because I feel that you're knowing, you're realizing it as we're walking, next to each other!_

 _You're a woman of few words, because you don't need many of them! Just Looking at your eyes, I can feel it. You don't need to tell me a lot of things. You're expressing them with every motion, the shapes of your face... it's impressive, how much I'm fixating on them! They talk a lot, like a powerful form of communication! And that's the most important trait for someone like me. If I want to reach the stars, my voice needs to echo around the world!_

 _It's amazing that you can do that without even yelling. You sure pack a punch, in more than one way!_

 _It's hard to admit it, but I...!_

 _Dammit, what am I thinking? There's no way I... I must remain strong, I must be at the top, breathing with all my chest, opening my arms for you. My sidekicks, and on your case... I know that... Oh._

 _Let's admit it, I want to learn from you._

 _Yeah! It's not something a hero like me would openly admit, but I'm not a liar! I'll express that to you in a different way... The way of Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars! In order to advance forward, I want to remain at your side, and continue pushing you to your objectives. To let that cruel sensation rest back and let your true self advance on a clear path. Your duties with the orphanage, the loss of your friend and suppression of your feelings. That much blood, that much pain... I want to replace them with stars and smiles! And, as I'm realizing... you're making me learn more than one thing while I do my own duties. I want to hop out of earth and reach galactic limits, but at the same time... Yes, you can do that! You keep my feet at earth, you make me love our planet even more. We're lucky to meet each other, like stars at an immense sky, wanting to form a constellation between them. We're making that possible, and I'll return to make that bright even more intense!_

 _That's because I can see it. Not in a metaphorical way, not like... all talk, as you usually say. I'm seeing it right now through your eyes. We're the same kind. We're seeking for an adventure, we admire the pure vision of the cosmos above us. Even while we're only walking around now, I can feel that we're feeling it pretty intensely. You can't surpass your limits if you don't take that seriously! And your eyes are happy about that. The reflection over your eyes, of the stars you're looking at, make them to look even prettier. You're serene, breathing, just being yourself! Without worries at your chest! And that is making you do it, subtly... that smile, small, reserved yet decided. It's a caring one, a reflection of your soul!_

 _I want you to smile forever. I want all that love for yourself. I won't stop, until that smile will come as firm as you!_

 _Oh! I ended up talking a lot, even if my words can't leave my own chest..._

 _It's true that you can't silence the passion of Kaito M-...!_

"Momota?" She stopped, turning as her expression came back to her usual one, looking at the astronaut with a serious concern.

"Harumaki?!" For a moment, he seemed like returning to earth from a long trip to the space. Something he would love to, ironically.

"Are you okay? Do you want to return now? You're strangely quiet..."

There was another silence between them, but in the end, Kaito burst in a powerful laugh. Maki got her sight locked in a small detail, as his eyes were intensely bright this time, like he had gotten emotional for something like a walk. Proper of Momota, she thought.

"Hahahaha! Are you worried? Don't worry, I'm not feeling weak, nor changing the way I am!"

"I wasn't meaning something like that, idiot. I'm sure you were trapped in your stupid fantasies again..."

"Are you sure? That's not the case! I was paying attention to something very real, and it's making my chest to burn in passion!"

Maki crossed her arms, sharpening her sight and examining the astronaut, as they were stopping by now.

"The sky. You can't stop looking at it. Predictable, Momota."

"Specifically, I was fixating on the stars tonight! They're brightening with an unique pulse, right? It's... lovely, Harumaki. I really like them. Someday, I'll be able to touch them!"

That last comment got out of his mouth in a more serious way, a certain honest tone vibrating through it, hiding something. A sentiment that lingered inside his chest, and wanted to be expressed out without renouncing to be a hero. Or it was for something completely different, as he couldn't stop looking up there, to avoid these two burning red suns looking at him for a moment.

"You'll get burned to ashes if you do that." Was that a joke? Harsh. But she didn't left any time for responding. "But that's good, Momota. I feel like they're quite honest today. You weren't lying when you said it. Even the same sky can express different sensations each night."

Kaito wasn't noticing it, but Maki couldn't hide the same smile that he was fixating over just a moment ago, this time over him.

"Heh! You're quite honest today! You finally got it!" He started nodding, as his eyes fixated into the many constellations above them. She ended up doing the same, trying to find the same beauty he found. Slowly, day by day, she was getting into it... letting her mind blank to travel around the starry details. But, of course, he wasn't going to get the last words with these assumptions.

"Shut up, you're the one getting it now."

They could feel less cold and warmer now, and they didn't need to explain how it happened to each other. That reflection was over their eyes, communicating without words.

 _Someday, I'll bring the space to you._


	5. Day 5-1: Birthday

**Day 5: Through the kaleidoscope (Birthday)**

"... It's pretty quiet now, isn't it? Are you tired, Momota-kun?" Shuichi said, sitting over the training field while catching some breath. He was sweaty, it had been an intense training session.

"The Luminary of the Stars is never tired! You can't be tired when you need to have so much work done, it's only a natural step coming from following your dreams!" The astronaut responded, proudly gritting at one of his sidekicks while he seemingly needed to catch a breath, too. "So, if you need to stop right now, it's a clear sign of you needing to become stronger, bro!"

"However, you're shutting your mouth for almost ten minutes now. That's improper of the Luminary..." Maki detailed, closing her eyes, with a serious impose. She was sweating too, but it was because the needed effort in this training, as she was barely tired and didn't even need to catch a breath for a start. "If any, Saihara just imitated you. You were the first to sit down and stop talking."

Shuichi almost chuckled while Kaito grimaced, as the astronaut was feeling judged and rapidly turned to face Harukawa, quite energetic for someone who truly needed to catch a breath... It felt like Kaito was feeling powerful only for whatever he wanted, not for everything.

"Hey, Harumaki! What are you saying? A hero just needs to leave some space for his sidekicks! I'm quiet because you two clearly need a moment!" Closing his fist, he almost leaned over Maki, while the assassin just left a small bluff and her menacing stare was impaling through his expression. There's no way she was going to turn back. "That's incoherent, Momota. You're really all talk, even while trying to not talk..."

"Tch!" Kaito was going to counterattack again, probably with more nonsense, but it was Saihara the one catching their attention this time. He couldn't help but laugh lightly. "C'mon, Momota-kun. It'll probably sound hard but Harukawa is right. She's the only one who isn't breathing hard now. I think we should take our time and..."

"No!" He interrupted, crossing his arms. "I'm going to prove you two, my sassy sidekicks, how capable I'm of talking after such a passionate session of pure effort!" Instantly, Maki had the words for arguing against that idea completely formed inside her head, but she closed her eyes again, holding back the motivation. She wouldn't admit it easily, but she was curious about what Momota had to say right now. That nonsense was mostly bullshit, she would say, but it was amusing and made her forget about things she wanted out of her head most of the times...

"When I was going to become nine, my granny gifted to me something marvelous. It was one of the mighty artifacts that helped forming the legend of the Luminary of the Stars! It's natural, taking that it comes from the Momota family!"

That's very out of the blue, Maki thought, as his stupid grin was forming while the wild idea was jumping out of his mouth. However... "What's about that artifact?"

"Heh, it was a kaleidoscope! But it wasn't a regular one, no, no! It was one suitable for Kaito Momota himself! Instead of colorful, simpler patterns, the different images were space-based and you could form different constellations while turning around the thing. It really felt like you could look at the space with an expanded mind, as multiple eyes were giving you all sort of inspirational waves for following your dreams!" It felt like he was going to shut up, but he continued. He felt very invested in this story, a thumb pushing against his chest. "I've been loving the vast universe since I was born, but that gift pushed me on taking my hopes and dreams more seriously! When I was feeling lost in a closed night, and had some childish doubts... Even when I felt alone because I couldn't go to the park with my friends... There were these images. Multiple ways of seeing the universe, multiple ways of imagining how to reach your future and fill your spirit! I wanted to reach these images by myself! I'm sure it reminds you of my trainings, isn't it? Huh? Huh?"

Looking around, Kaito sought for approval from his sidekicks. Both Harukawa and Saihara were looking at him, calmly but serious. There's no way that was reminiscent of his _special trainings_ , but they were thinking on a different thing. It felt like he was being honest, for a moment. Kaito shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes liding, looking around and chewing something between his lips. Rather than throwing something at them, he continued.

"I bring that little kaleidoscope with me to every place. For studying, for playing with other kids, for even walking around with my old folks... Shit, that legendary artifact surely gave me enough strength. Just looking through its glass cheered me up for the entire day..." His tone was starting to sound rarely calmer, nostalgic in a certain way, while he stopped crossing his arms and laid back slightly, palms over the field. "But one night, while I was riding my bike like a rocket, chasing lightning bugs down the riverside I... I just lost it. It happened during a good, starry night the next spring after that. I imagined that these little bugs were like stars and that if I wanted to reach the real ones, I had to train very hard to catch the earth ones first! I saved my galactic kaleidoscope in one of my pockets but after a while, stopping..."

"It wasn't there." Maki said, in a neutral tone. It wasn't sounding reprimanding this time, sounding like she was kind of feeling bad for him.

"Yeah... It fell in the long way while chasing these little lights. I know it's quite rare coming from the Luminary, but I felt like shit, basically turning back and checking every place around the river. I wasted many hours on that, even my old folks were worried about me for not returning home earlier."

"It probably fell into the river, Momota-kun. Taking that you were a kid, it was really difficult you could find it easily." Saihara returned, with his analytical point of view. At both their comments, Kaito just sighed deeply, not feeling weak for once about revealing, ironically, one of his weaknesses.

"I just thought that it was a sign of the stars, you know? They wanted me to become stronger! To not depend on anything and look at the sky in a clear way, to remind me that I need to follow my dreams with everything I've got without even hesitating once! Even if it was a gift from my dear granny, losing it was a sign..."

Saihara couldn't say anything, just thinking on how Kaito was excusing his behavior with that. He was making a big thing out of this event, even if it happened when he was a child and felt pretty normal about his age. Kids losing things. He probably got intense with another thing or person after that, he thought. But in a certain way, this felt important to him. It was the meaning he gave to that kaleidoscope...

His thought bubble exploded when, unexpectedly, Harukawa patted the astronaut's shoulder one time, and only one time. She was talking briefly, like a child caregiver to a... no need to remark that. "Don't think too much about it. It made you stronger, idiot."

While Harukawa remained serious, looking at her front after placing away her hand, Kaito looked at her and blinked a couple of time, silent. Saihara felt something right there and got up, planning something while putting the training towel around his neck. "Umh. Hey guys, I'm going to take a shower..."

Instead of forcing him to stay, Kaito got up, pumped up in a hurry and scratching the back of his neck in an evident sign of nervousness. "That's right! It'll be better if we return to our dorms, we need to save some energy for tomorrow's training! Let's push ourselves even more next time, I'm going to reach these lights above us, and with it, you'll be prepared to embrace your dreams too!" His usual motivational speech felt a bit out of place this time, and he turned, walking back the first, while Harukawa raised an eyebrow and got up, looking at Saihara for a moment.

"Harukawa..." Shuichi was trying to say something, but she turned, looking at the astronaut for a moment. A certain mumble lingered around the air.

"Man, I sure loved that kaleidoscope..."

Maki closed her fists for a moment and then turned slightly to the detective, to nod and start walking towards the girl's dorms. "Goodnight, Saihara. Be sure of saving more breath for tomorrow."

A year after that, a certain party was held. It was flashy, suitable for an astronaut with a mouth as big as the universe. There were a lot of smiles and friendly chatters, with the entire class present. Momota was the type of guy that cared a lot about other people's birthdays, and like with his emotions, was kind of sketchy with his own. However, as Maki and Saihara prepared this for him as his closest friends, he felt like the brightest star for a day. When the night came, the sky was surprisingly closed, and as the party ended, only a few remaining for cleaning up everything. Harukawa pushed him out to the yards again, with the excuse of him not needing to help in his day. Saihara nodded to the assassin with a solid smile, as helping Kirumi with the cleaning. On their way out, they argued and laughed. It felt like another day, being close. But it was clearly special. For once, Kaito didn't need any words to justify his actions. Harukawa didn't feel like correcting him, too. They felt quite free and natural, even if Kaito continued with his poetic nonsense, talking about how most of the stars were hiding today because it was his time to shine for them. It was his day after all.

But, when they were at the yard, looking at that dark sky with the moon shining the best way it could, Harukawa grabbed his hand, putting something over it in a quick movement, without any special ornaments, both physical and verbal. "I've said it before but... Happy birthday, Momota."

The astronaut looked down, grabbing the petite thing firmly, almost caressing it. His face was priceless, with the curiosity proper of a child. "Huh? A kaleidoscope? Really, Harumaki?"

"Not a normal one. It's... special. It's said that you can see the space through it, in many different perspectives."

Kaito remained silent, opening his mouth, looking at the small thing first and then to Maki, quickly. Her face was straight, but kind of soft at the same time... He talked about that almost a year ago. That kaleidoscope wasn't in his mind for a while. However, touching another one made his heart race faster in excitement. But it was because of touching it? Or because she remembered? Whatever he was thinking, he just grinned, excited eyes fixating on her.

"You said that out of the blue. I thought that giving it to you the same way would be the best option..." Looking up at the sky, Harukawa hid her feelings while touching one of her pigtails.

"Hah... Haha! This is... fantastic! Truly fantastic, Harumaki! Thanks to you, I can see the universe even with a dark sky above us! There's no way we can't advance forward now! My sight will remain centered on my dreams!" Momota held the kaleidoscope up, showing it to the moon, looking childish, but honestly happy.

"But Momota, it isn't only for that now. You grew up, you said you became stronger. Right?" Kaito turned again, remaining quiet and still surprised, looking how Harukawa's expression turned serious, crossing her arms and looking directly at him while being at his side. "A kaleidoscope has multiple points of view. It's quite open... as you would say. I've learned that." She closed her eyes for a moment, sounding like lecturing him. "It's also to remind you that, while you get stronger, you need to be more open too. Sometimes, you must expand your horizons, and it isn't a straightforward line. Learn, look around, don't be afraid of telling your worries... there are many points of view in this world."

"Hey, you're sounding like me. Don't steal my lines!" Kaito almost giggled, packing a light punch into her arm.

"Then apply them to you too, stop being all talk." She returned, punch included, looking at how he started to genuinely laugh and while he couldn't see it, forming a small, satisfied smile over her lips.

Looking rather excited, Momota shook the galactic kaleidoscope into his hand near her face. "Then try it, Harumaki! Put it over your eye and learn everything about the universe, you'll see what I was trying to say!"

"You go first, Momota. It's a gift for you... idiot."

"Thank you, Harumaki! I owe you one!"

And while he looked up, through the glass of an small kaleidoscope again for the first time in many years, bearing an expression that she could easily imagine as he was a child, Harumaki thought that he didn't owe her anything. Just being with him, looking through memories and forming new ones, creating their own kaleidoscope with small, hopeful details. It made her smile genuinely while looking at him, feeling like they were truly shining like stars over an immense sky.


	6. Day 5-2: Children

**Day 5: Black moon (Children)**

Quite late at night, a young boy was sitting over his grandparent's porch. He was holding a tiny space rocket toy in his right hand, waving it around the air in a playful manner. This little boy became ten not so much ago, and that toy was a birthday gift from his parents, after discovering that their son caught a pretty passionate interest in space. This boy decided that, someday, he would turn into an astronaut himself. And not only that... he would be the best! Expending a lot of time with his grandparents, this boy had plenty of opportunities to study astronomy and other interesting things about how things above the sky worked. He was learning fast, and truly felt like capable of fulfilling such a dream. He got a lot of support around, as even if his parents couldn't expend a lot of time with him for working reasons, they always seemed to be comprehensive with his needs. He had a lot of friends at school, too, and it was that time at class when many of the little kids would start exchanging their opinions on the future and their desired objectives. On top, there were his grandparents. These two persons were the most important for him, as not only taking care of him most of the time, as also supporting his ideas and trying to educate him the best way, turning into an almost perfect example on how to aboard life. He wasn't alone.

However, today... he was playing quieter than usual, his curious eyes gazing over the sky from time to time. He was seeking for something.

"Kaito! I told you to come inside ten minutes ago!" The voice of her granny came from inside the house, but he didn't respond.

"Kaito... It's late. Even if you don't have school tomorrow, you must rest well... Come with me."

The old woman opened the door, and approached her grandson from behind. Kaito was shaking his legs while sitting over the wooden floor, mouth opening and still looking up, quite absorbed.

"What's the problem, dear? You're looking sad." She stayed next to him, as the little guy turned, his expression changing and instead of that melancholic presence, offering a petite yet bright smile.

"No, granny! I'm not sad! I'm just trying to figure it out. Look!" A finger pointing up above the sky was enough for the old woman to follow its sign with her gaze.

The sky was pretty dark today. The stars were trying to shine intensely, but the moon was almost invisible, difficult to even notice. It wasn't the kind of sky that Kaito used to love when they let him play out in the garden at nighttime.

"We're having a new moon tonight, Kaito. The moon is feeling timid and it's hiding for us. Are you worried?"

"Hehe, I know, granny! I'm not worried! I'm sure that the moon will shine like always soon. It's just... Her free day! That's why I'm going to start practicing to be a Luminary!"

Again, this child and his childish delusions. His granny loved them though, and she looked at him surprised, with a maternal smile before covering her mouth and laughing slowly.

"A Luminary... Ah, yes, how could I forget? I didn't know the moon could take free days. Can you explain some to me, dear?"

The little Kaito seemed pretty excited now, leaving his toy away and getting his arms crossed, with a proud stance. It was like he was building himself to be some sort of hero.

"Listen, granny! The moon has few free days, just like mom and dad... It's always looking at us, gifting that light when the sun isn't there!" That wasn't how it worked for real, but the old woman found it logical for him and nodded. "So today, it feels so dark and sad, because she's resting... That's how I'm going to help, I've decided it!"

Getting even more excited, the little astronaut wannabe got up over the porch, closing both fists and frowning, with a determined passion over his purple, young gaze. He looked up straight, and then pointed with a finger, just at the point where the new moon was hiding tonight.

"If it can't deal with today's light, the Luminary will take responsibility! Universe, everyone, listen to me! I'm sending you all my light! Don't be sad, believe in the stars... they'll take care of us all... I promise!"

That impulse left the old woman speechless, as her grandson was standing there, sending his wishes and joy to every person who could need it in this kind of night. He truly wanted to become like the moon, getting more than invested in what was above them. In the limits that they could surpass as humans. Her grandson had a real objective, and she was sure he'll grow up as lovely as he was. Getting up, too, the granny imitated him in a softer way, going on with his little play.

"Please listen to my dear petite star, friend. He's brightening for you. Everybody will be happy tonight..."

Kaito laughed with a childish honesty, almost jumping. He was really happy, as his granny was believing in him, and he was convinced he could take on the many duties of the moon and get on a mission. Everyone deserves motivation and happiness, even if it's this dark. The night is when the stars could be seen without any tools, so it shouldn't signify something sad...

That's what this kid thought, and that's how his almost infinite motivation was staying. However, it was late, and it was natural he would start to yawn.

"Mission completed, Kaito. Now... the bed is waiting for you. Even heroes need to rest."

"Yes, granny... Did I do it well?" He rubbed his eyes, and grabbed his grandma's hand, prepared to enter into the house again.

"You did it perfect, my Luminary."

Quite late at night, a girl was sitting inside an obscure, abandoned warehouse. She was curling up against the wall, sitting over an old blanket, and hiding something between her hands. This girl was around ten years old, but her face didn't show any kind of childish hope. She was holding a blank expression, with an stare that would be quite dead if not of her powerful red eyes, who were showing a secret determination. That little girl seemed to hide in the shadows, trying to avoid the small spots of light that the warehouse's windows provided, as wanting to be alone. She wasn't noticing that today, the illumination coming from these windows was weaker, as the moonlight wasn't even present. Today was a dark day, even darker than usual. She didn't mind about it. The sharp tool she was holding turned around itself between her fingers, tapping it with a kind of impatient sign, like if that could stop the self-loathing knot to form over her neck. She had her intentions clear, choosing to live this kind of depressing, miserable life to save the people who were worth it. Her dearest friend was a member of the same orphanage from where she came, and she needed to become a weapon to protect it, to let many lives to grow better than her. The orphanage was the only thing that she was sure of being a solid part of her life, and she didn't want to throw it away, to become completely void. The secret determination behind her eyes was visible only for her, as she was fixating in the other end of the room, just at the main door. It was hatred.

That sentiment was held for the three men that were discussing, in mumbles but quite heated at the same time, about business. A dangerous one. Two of them were members of the cult that abducted her and trained her to become an assassin. One of that pair was one of her many instructors, holding the facade of taking care of her for some days. She suffered a lot in order to get many techniques polished. The third was a con man, who also acted as an informant of the cult, and mainly provided with target lists of interest for them. Supposedly, there was a mission planned for today, but the three men weren't in the same boat.

"It's dangerous. I can't confirm the information's veracity! If the wrong person dies... I'll be in a big problem. I can't stand this pressure!"

"My weapon is prepared and waiting. I can't throw the last training days to waste."

"But you said she's one of your best takes! I'm sure you can buy me a couple of days... C'mon!" The con man was desperate, trying to convince the other two of his ideas. The instructor restrained a dangerous need for killing him.

"You said that with this mission, we could get some vital information on our true target. Our organization is seeking for that mark for so many months..."

"Then we have even more reasons to wait! Listen, I couldn't get all the information on how many bodyguards and hitmen were displayed. Even if she's good, you'll lose other men. She's a child, for God's sake! Are you that thirsty?! There's no way she wouldn't get noticed. It isn't a place for kids!"

The conversation got more intense from his part, and that made the little girl to fixate on the con man. She thought he was weak, a terrified person who would make her fall into a trap. She would fix it, but she didn't want to... she never wanted to. However, the instructor held the other man by the neck and pushed him against the wall.

"She's more than a child, bastard. We worked so hard for preparing all of this, we have everything covered. Do you think we are amateurs, or something? You're the one who's not doing his job, give me a reason to not kill you right here and now."

The other cult member approached, trying to put some peace between the two.

"Shut up, you both. It's enough. You're making a scene here. I'm the one deciding if the cult is financing this mission now or not and... I'll pass."

"What?!" The instructor said, as the con man sighed in relief.

"This is an important mission. I want to make it perfect. No failures, no losses. So we'll wait a couple of days. However..."

This time, the man who saved the informant was looking at him with predator eyes, telling everything clear. "I want your work done for tomorrow. I don't need to say what will happen to you if not. Twenty four hours."

"Of course, mister! I-I won't fail you...! I'm going to work right now!"

He disappeared, leaving a rapid sound of foot walk behind. The instructor looked very angry now, and the financer tapped his shoulder before starting to abandon the warehouse, in a much calmer way.

"Calm down. Eat something, get some rest. Go back home. She can sleep here. There's no way someone is going to find her... And poor of the one who could find her."

"... Thanks." The instructor said, looking at him go away and cracking his knuckles. He was a perfectionist, even with something as twisted as assassination.

The little girl understood almost everything, but remained quiet and strong. In the worst scenario, she was going to suffer the fury of her instructor, with probably some sort of torture held on by the excuse of improvement. She gripped the knife tighter, her being the one restraining some crazy ideas now. She couldn't do it. For the orphanage.

"I can do it. I can kill whoever you order me to."

She said that as he was approaching to her, lighting up a cigar while looking through the same window she was trying to evade. He was going to say something harsh, but rubbed his forehead hard, frowning. Something calmed him, and then turned to her.

"It isn't a good night, Maki. The moon isn't out, and that goes for bad intuition... No visibility, more danger. You'll stay here. Wait for me in the morning."

That was a very bland excuse, a childish excuse that a child like her couldn't even swallow. He turned, walking to the exit, leaving her alone, and she looked at him with more determined eyes. _Are you letting me free tonight, for real?_ She would ask, but she didn't. Better to stay quiet. However, the man was sensing that gaze, and perhaps that intention, over him. Before leaving the door, he talked directly.

"Be grateful to the stars. That sight calmed me down... You were lucky today. But don't let your guard down. This won't end easily."

As he left her alone finally, Maki blinked vividly. There was a strange momentum. She was alone, free for real, even if it were for some hours. A normal kid would think in a wide variety of things for having fun and enjoy youth. However, she wasn't normal. She couldn't do that. But these words were enough to let the knot to disappear. She felt a relieving sensation over her chest, and even if she knew it wouldn't last long... she got up, approaching to the nearest window.

She looked at the sky with a black moon. The stars seemed tender. She breathed hard, feeling something she thought of forgetting about in self-loathing.

"Thank you. I feel... I feel lighter now. It's like... someone took care of me."

She tried to convince herself about that, as a long-needed desire, buried deep into her chest. With it, she felt the heavy weight of tension disappearing, making her yawn. Like a normal child, for some seconds.

She curled up over the ground, making herself a roll with the blankets. Everything went dark, finding a needed rest, in more than one way.


	7. Day 6: Fears

**Day 6: Inner ghosts (Fears)**

It was dark.

He couldn't explain it. His mind was feeling numb, disoriented in a way that asked for his intense personality to leap on and just get up. He felt like being lost in deep space, without any celestial bodies that could guide him around. An astronaut without spaceship and purpose. He felt weak, his body not trembling but feeling cold at every layer of his skin. What was this? Why was he feeling it? There was only an unique, guiding sensation. It was over his forehead, a warm feeling that kept him centered. If any, that sensation was refilling his spirit, his need on seeking for a light around all this pitch black. Was he going to wander around nothingness forever? Of course not! He was who he was! Kaito Momota wasn't the type who would be intimidated by these sort of difficulties!

"Ah!"

Momota gasped, almost shouting while waking up. The lights of his dorm made him to lid his eyes, grunting. His head felt dizzy, and his body quite rare, wet and sticky. It was like having passed through a bad cold, or something like that. "Shit. What the fuck did... happen?" Gritting his teeth, he tried to rub his eyes, feeling the same warm sensation over his forehead that the one he felt inside that dreamy world, now in reality. It helped him to get centered somehow, and looked around, as a rather soft, yet concerned voice seemed to welcome him back.

"... Momota! You're coming back, finally..."

Harukawa was there, sitting next to his bed, where he was resting. Her expression was so bold that he could feel like returning to reality completely. He started to remember... and the fact that she was having a recipient full of water at her side gave some signs. He was having a wet towel over his forehead, and that was which made him feel better. Did he got ill? But it happened so suddenly, right? He remembers feeling like a solid rock this morning.

"I didn't know it could get this serious. Next time, I'm going to kick you out of the room directly."

At first, she seemed concerned, and probably she still was, but her tone and expression were subtly changing to a certain irritation, clearly blaming him for this. He couldn't argue against that, as he got himself in a dangerous territory. He remembered now. Shuichi was trying to polish his sleuth skills while investigating different, quite rare and twisted cases that were archived in his documents. For that purpose, he needed to look at every modus operandi by himself and try to reach to his own conclusions, even if these were closed cases. For understanding the psychology of that bunch of eccentric killers, he asked Maki for help. During last month, when they weren't pulling a training night, Kaito could notice both of his sidekicks going together to see a variety of documentary films, with the assassin discussing about the ways of killing, weapons... and a variety of quite dark peculiarities she could share with the detective to help on his work. It wasn't like talking about this made Maki to feel pleasant, but as this was propelling one of her closest friends to a better future, and considering that he could help her on dealing with the cult by the time, she went quite okay with it. Momota wasn't invited to these meetings, as he would get too noisy and probably scattering many weird, inconsistent ideas around, and he couldn't contain himself, of course. He wanted to participate! What's a hero if he can't guide his sidekicks over the best trails?

That's why he stalked them sometimes, and during one of these nights, he tried to join them by surprise. Detective and assassin would argue against him, but at the end, decided to let him stay just once. Kaito was almost unstoppable with his stubbornness. Unlucky for him, today's documentary was about a killer that was obsessed with a number of paranormal stories about local folklore's ghosts, and his modus operandi involved imitating the way these ghosts killed their victims. In order to contrast with the real facts, this documentary included some excerptions from popular horror movies that touched these topics...

Kaito felt uneasy only by mentioning them, as he was quite sensitive to the occult. But when these images started to pop over the screen, he would make his sidekicks to jump, more horrified than whatever the film could produce, as the astronaut couldn't help yelling uncontrollably, sweating quite a lot while asking for help and finally, fainting. He lost consciousness, as his body couldn't process these type of stories. Both Harukawa and Saihara couldn't believe it, and then...

"We examined your body. It seemed that you got a fever somehow... so I told Shuichi I would take care of you."

"Oh? You were quite worried about me, I see!" Even in his state, Kaito was trying to turn the tables at his favor. But Harukawa wasn't accepting any of that, looking away while frowning, a petite blush over her cheeks now as she played with her hair a bit. "No... he really needs to work on his talent. It was his time for studying, so I took care myself. That's all."

"C'mon, Harumaki...!"

"Besides. What's with you, Momota? It's unbelievable that you got a real fever, it's absurd. That was fiction. Are you a child?" She wouldn't let him push over the concerning topic deeper, as now turning her stare more solid and kind of judging him.

"Oeh! How do you k-know that it was fiction?!"

"Ghosts don't exist, that's stupid."

"How are you so sure?! Listen, there's something dangerous in things that science cannot prove! Ghosts and heroes are natural enemies!"

Momota was getting quite passionate in this argument, and he even sat up over his bed, shaking a tight fist over the air. As he was discussing, the towel fell down and on the heat of the exchange, he started sweating again. Harukawa looked at him and leaned, pushing his chest cautiously so he would lay over the bed again, as she sighed one more time.

"Okay, that's enough. You're sweaty and... weak, still. That affected you in a serious way."

"I'm not lying! These kind of stories are important to me in a way that I can feel bad for real. Shit, I can't stand them! I'll fight with all my strenght, I'm not a coward!"

"Sssht. You're silly. Time to calm down and rest."

Her voice tone got softer and more welcoming, as Kaito looked at her. Maki was grabbing the towel and wetting it with the water again, putting it back over his forehead cautiously. Then, she accommodated him over the pillow so he could remain partially laying while resting. As she did that, fixating in every one of her movements, Maki looked like something else. Different to an assassin and more similar to... Well, there wasn't a way he was comparing himself to a child.

"If you know about your weaknesses... It's quite stupid to think that you decided to stay with us. Were you jealous?" She provoked, though, after she finished her actions.

"I'm not jealous of anything! I'm not that type of man! My trust in my sidekicks is infinite, Harumaki."

"You're making it sound wrong...!" Maki got herself in a hurry for a small moment."Shuichi needed my help. It's not like you can lend a hand with everything."

"Hah, that isn't true! My sidekicks' skills are my skills too! That, and the fact an astronaut has a very complete point of view of the universe! I know many things myself..."

"You're fooling yourself with that ambition. At the end you wouldn't do anything."

"One can't learn, get strong or win if not taking risks! I'm sure that Shuichi can count on me against any problem. That's just how I am!"

"You're not getting the point." Maki wanted to roll her eyes around, as she felt like returning to the starting point. Reckless and stubborn, that was how Momota was. But saying that would get both of them into another infinite argument. And before that, she was concerned about his resting.

"Whatever you say, you're going to rest properly now. It's clear that you're not seriously ill, but I don't want this to turn into a real problem."

"Harumaki, you're sounding quite honest. Perhaps it's one of your fears?" Kaito loved to tease her that way, as it usually ended up preparing the path for her to start opening to him. It was difficult, but with time, the astronaut knew how the rules worked.

"No. I don't fear anything." Maki responded, short and coldly. However, she got so used to Momota that she couldn't help but frown in certain frustration, as showing a weaker side. She got up and turned to a table while hiding her pouting cheeks.

"That's a lie! You're my sidekick, and sidekicks have many doubts and fears. It's my job to clear that path and help you making your belief stronger!"

Maki didn't respond, grabbing a plate that held a steamy soup. Momota didn't notice before, but the smell, now that he was paying attention, wasn't bad. It was far from perfect, but it made him feel hungry. It was clear that it wasn't Kirumi's special soup so...

"Shut up. You were the one making up that thing about sidekicks, it isn't like you let me to say anything about it..." She sat again, holding a spoon and approaching to him. "You need this to recover faster. Open your mouth. Now..." Her sudden bossy tone was trying to conceal some form of doubtfulness.

"Oh? Did you cook that soup? It doesn't look half bad, Harumaki!"

"Yes, I did it... Don't expect much. I didn't want to bother Kirumi for something this stupid." That was a partial truth, as she truly wanted to try on cooking. For him? She wasn't admitting her feelings completely, still, thinking that she didn't deserve to feel that way. But she imagined that, as cooking was something so normal, she could try it with him. She used to think that doing things in a mediocre way wouldn't make her reach a complete objective. It was useless. But by time, she realized that type of reasoning was a lie. She truly learnt while doing things she wasn't used to, even if it was hard to admit. "But you need to recover. Cooks always prepared nutritive soups when the kids got ill at the orphanage."

"Heh, that means you're taking this seriously!"

"That means you're a kid too." She stabbed, although in a friendly way, hurrying and taking some soup with the spoon. Without letting him respond, she shoved it into his mouth, always almost open because he couldn't stop talking. _Gulp_.

"Mnnh!"

She would ask how it tasted, with a certain expectation. However, she contained it, looking at the soup and preparing another spoonful. Momota didn't need the real question over the air to answer it, though.

"As expected, it's quite strong. You're the kind of girl that can handle more than a couple of punches herself, so it suits you!"

"It tastes bad, right?"

"It's salty. But the flavor is tasty. Keep working on it!" Kaito was talking with honesty this time, and Maki sighed for long.

"I see. I'll ask for..." As Harukawa was almost going to leave the spoon into the liquid, Momota interrupted her, grabbing her wrist. "It's okay! I want to taste more. I don't have much time to recover, so let's take our possibilities!" He winked at her, and Maki returned a slightly surprised expression.

She was going to say no, but in the end, she realized that pushing this back was going to make her look like someone who wasn't her. He repeated one time after another than one must trust in oneself in order to reach any kind of dreams. This wasn't a dream or a big objective or whatever, that would be absurd, but she found a certain comfort on just sitting here, taking care of Momota, feeding him something she made by herself. It was quite normal. It felt... familiar. Something she longed for, at the other side of that barrier that bashed her back with self-loathing.

"If you insist. Open your mouth again. Don't spill it out, Momota." The astronaut almost giggled while she said that, and Maki found herself feeding him for real after he followed his little order. One spoonful after another, the astronaut wasn't complaining. In fact, she could see on his face that, while this soup was far from perfect, he was liking it genuinely. His cheeks were recovering their natural color and it seemed like his fears were fading like an hypothetical ill. She took her time with this, and she knew that Momota was noticing her current expression. She couldn't hide a certain form of tenderness, as all of this reminded her of past, simpler times.

Times when she was a child too, when she knew how to take care of younger ones, while she was being fed too. When she had a bed, and could rest properly. When she had time to worry about being ill and recovering properly. Momota felt sometimes like a grown-up child, without leaving that phase back, but she was a girl who was forced to stop being a child too soon. She was suppressed of a part of her that she loved, and gave her a kind of identity. She also lost her dearest friend on the way into becoming the convoluted mess she was until now, when Momota pushed her to open, step by step. It had been a hard way, and she longed a lot for remembering the peaceful memories, to live something similar again. To feel like being part of a family. Remembering how she chose holding all the burden over her shoulders, she thought about losing herself completely, as she gave up into the shadows.

That was her only fear. Deep inside, she didn't want for Maki Harukawa to cease existing. That's why she kept herself strong and deciding to close her heart, to save the remnants of these feelings and overcome the burdens of cruelty and grief by herself.

Also, that's why she was grateful to Momota. Right now, she could feel connected to that past self, in a renewed way. It was because his insistence, and how many times she needed to open more to let him know who she was. She could get used to this, and wanted to try on similar things. When she was with him, everything looked easier. It was evident that she couldn't hide these thoughts expressing out over her face, as while the soup was almost finished, Momota looked at her like knowing more than she would desire.

"Hey, Harumaki... not only the soup was good, you looked like a total child caregiver right now! I mean, I'm a man full of passions, not a child, but I could totally imagine you doing this at the orphanage!"

"I told you that talent was a facade."

"If you got it, that means you have what is needed in order to be the best at it! And I'm experiencing it right now. You are what you want to be, heh!"

"Momota..."

She wanted to respond, to continue arguing. To convince him that she didn't deserve that, but felt tired for it, again. But... it was that she was tired, seriously? No, perhaps she was trying to convince herself that she didn't deserve the title. That she wasn't good for something she wasn't designed for. She fought a lot of times, trying to protect something that was precious to her identity. Now, that concept was expanding one day after another. She could remain being strong, being protective, if she became that... and the same time, she would so something she truly enjoyed...

"See? You're almost convinced! Okay, it's decided! We are now going to practice a lot of things related to your talent. You're going to show me your passion!"

Looking at him, being so happy and so serious at the same time, Maki felt like not going back this time. She looked at him with a newfound determination.

"Watch your words, Momota. You'll look weak if I do that."

"Hah! That won't happen! The Luminary of the Stars is invincible! If any, you'll be able to try it again, and again, and again... until you feel exhausted! There's no way I'll lose a challenge. Bring it on!"

He was talking about this like if it was a fight or an intense session of training, but that was far from reality. Harukawa saved a content smile for herself, as wanting to show him one of her secret strengths. He was going to swallow his words.

"Okay, you asked for it. Be prepared to lose."

On tension and truly prepared as she said, Momota wasn't expecting what was going to happen. And as laying over a comfy bed, with his stomach full of warm soup, on a cozy ambience... it was more effective. Harukawa started humming, soft and tenderly, one of the many lullabies she learnt while being at the orphanage as a kid. She was quite good at it, much better than at cooking soup, as her serene voice sounded graceful that way. While she did that, Momota felt like melting slowly, enticed by the gentle sounds his sidekick was toning. The fact that she was tucking him up now helped immensely. He would detest to even talk about it, but as his eyes were half-closing, feeling heavy, he truly looked like a child.

And her, like a child caregiver.

"H-Harumaki...!"

Momota tried to fight back, or tried to sound like that. No weaknesses allowed, he always thought. In the end, he was closing his eyes, giving himself to this wonderful feeling, to embracing a darkness that this time was kind and welcoming. He needed some sleep. And it wouldn't pass too much time since he started snoring lightly, with a peaceful look at his expression.

As finishing her lullaby, Maki found herself closing her eyes, smiling fondly. When everything became quiet again, she opened them and looked at Momota. That peace he was wielding... she felt like holding it too, inside. It was an inner strength. The feeling of being herself, naturally. That pushed her to do something that, in normal conditions, wouldn't even cross through her mind, as she wouldn't allow herself to feel like doing it.

"Rest well, Momota. We'll become what we both want, someday."

That said, as a whisper, she leaned over him. She dared to leave a soft kiss over his cheek, and then got up, taking up the plate and the water recipient and going out of his dorm, thinking that one day she'll be able to tell him something that was deep into her heart, waiting for an open door.


	8. Day 7: Post game

**Day 7: A cut in reality (Post game)**

 _I discover myself looking at the breach over the dome, feeling alive. Feeling like being able to smile without a doubt._

 _Some hours ago, I would be wondering why someone like me would be capable of doing that. Or better said, allowed to do that._

 _When reality was melting, when lies were turning facts, I decided that my feelings were real._

 _I decided to not throw away anything. Not anymore. I won't throw away you and your smile._

 _We were thinking that our life was going to end, we gave everything to end this, to not forget about people like you._

 _Kiibo gave us another opportunity._

 _I'm standing now, next to Saihara and Yumeno. We're looking at the breach. I can feel that we're thinking about a lot of different things. I see that they're hopeful, too._

 _The breach is shiny, like a cosmic sea. It looks like the doors to heaven. If hope had a tangible form, I'm sure it would look similar to this._

 _And that's what I'm deciding to believe. Whatever awaits for us at the other side, I'm going to remain like me. Like the me that was formed in this story._

 _No. There's no place for doubts. You made me realize..._

 _I wish I had more time. I wish I could see through your own breaches too, before it happened. I wish I could've said that you didn't need to worry. That it's okay to suffer, it's okay to feel weak, if that's going to get fixed in a way. You weren't perfect, even if you tried too. But that..._

 _That was as beautiful as the light I'm looking at now._

 _Back in the game, I couldn't understand why you did that. Why you could betray your own words and kill someone. It wasn't like you, I felt like my heart was full of doubts, breaking in deception. I didn't know how to approach you precisely, as a lingering shadow was trying to engulf me again. I wish that I could've noticed it when we passed that night at your room, as you needed to rest. I should've took that illness more seriously..._

 _I did, indeed. But you didn't let me worry enough. You wanted me to focus on myself. You always did._

 _Then, as blood couldn't be stopped, as you gave everything you got for fighting and continue talking, I finally realized. You made up with honesty itself._

 _As you waited for the execution, you talked about yourself in a subtly, miserable way. It was like your own beliefs about yourself were shattering, that you weren't the hero the world needed, that you barely could do anything to end our situation. You said that you were kind of jealous of Saihara, one of your closest persons now. You said that I was now being able to love myself. You were believing in both of us, every moment, knowing that the same couldn't be applied to you._

 _You weren't able to say the same words to yourself, even if you believed in them. You couldn't look at yourself with honesty, not knowing how to manage yourself. In order to overcome that, you did the same with both of us. You took care of us despite your feelings about yourself. And even with it, you did it genuinely, you wanted us to overcome our doubts for real. It wasn't a trick. But still, you didn't think you reached the same._

 _You said goodbye with determination and a smile. I wasn't able to digest it, to believe it. Why? You went off without thinking the same as you thought about us for you._

 _I realized that made you happy. You knew your fate, you were happy about our results. For real. You said you didn't want us to cry, as you felt fulfilled in a way._

 _You knew that, but I wish we had enough time to tell you that you truly did it for us, and we did it for you too. You can feel weak if you're feeling like it, you can be open with your emotions, even if they contradict what you're willing to say. Nobody will judge you... We'll support you, because... all of that was real. You knew about your condition and even with that, you made it real. I have true facts to support it._

 _I fell for you before knowing the truth._

 _Now, I don't feel insecure about saying it. I don't want to hide it. It's like a weapon. A powerful sentiment that made me realize that I could use what I am to protect someone. Something I wished with all my heart, something I tried to do without saying anything, without even admitting it._

 _Now that's what I am. It gives me enough strength to not cry anymore. As you said, we are heroes on our own stories._

 _You turned into one, too._

 _Fiction is collapsing into debris, as reality awaits for us. We were gifted with the capacity of choosing. We are not knowing what awaits for us, but we're able to express ourselves..._

 _I'm making a decision right now._

As the breach was showing the flowing light of its opening, like an intense reunion of celestial bodies, all three survivors were believing in their own reality. Maki grabbed her combat knife, and then, made a quiet promise to herself. With a clean cut, her pigtails went down over the ground, becoming a part of the fading fiction scenery. Both hair tie ornaments on her hand looked like forming an infinite symbol, and as she gazed at them, her hair now showing a short cut, she felt like her feelings and beliefs were the most potent weapon she could wield from now onwards.

She was prepared to jump. To surpass reality.

 _The impossible is possible. You repeated that like being an universal truth. After this game, after questioning our existence, we made that true. You couldn't see it, sadly. You were able to convince someone, to make a powerful sentiment to flourish and defeat the same limits you were hoping to surpass one day._

 _As fiction can change reality, and as choosing that I'm real, I refuse to forget about you. You'll be always a part of me. I don't want to leave back everything you gifted to me here._

 _That's why I'm going to jump with the decision of changing my own reality, of defying the impossible myself. I'll make it so, there's no trying. I wish I could hear your stupid blabbering again, I wish we could train together again, I wish we could dream about whatever we want again. There's so much we can still do. Our story... has no end. We'll make whatever we want from it, as we finally got free from an encased fiction, to a wholesome reality._

 _I'm going to see your smile again._


	9. Day 8: Future

**Day 8: Landing on expectations (Future)**

Two persons were sharing a quite long, personal moment at the living room of a pretty normal apartment. Sitting around a table, they were next to each other, exchanging words while taking some sips from time to time from the two cups of cold, green tea that the apartment's owner offered. They both passed the afternoon at a certain local with some close friends, throwing some sort of familiar, personal welcome party to the invited one. After sharing a good bunch of beverages and experiences, this green tea felt formidable for fighting against the alcohol's effects, as this conversation, one on one, felt perfect too for deepening on a lingering sensation that went over the air since the welcomed one abandoned the airport and started to enjoy his homeland again.

The apartment's owner was Maki Harukawa, a girl who overcame a dark story that a normal, mundane person wouldn't imagine at first sight. The welcomed one was Kaito Momota, a passionate guy who wanted to reach the stars someday and didn't mind making it clear to others.

Both of them fulfilled their dreams somehow. And still, there was that lingering sentiment between them, floating around and remembering them of their shared school days.

 _Well... I'll be waiting, but I won't be expecting much..._

After that long talk about memories, they both graduated. To expect something was mostly like a challenge for a person who liked to call himself the Luminary of the Stars. So Kaito fulfilled it. After their school years ended, the astronaut trainee was called for a special training program at America. He passed the last years here, completing his training and becoming an astronaut in the complete sense of the word. After that, as he was being called the Ultimate Astronaut, not even a month after ending his last course passed before he was called for his first space mission. All he needed was determination, something that he found stronger in himself after the three years at Hope's Peak. There's no way a hero like him would fail on completing his mission, even if in the end he couldn't bring his sidekicks to space with him like he once said. In fact, he couldn't see their faces personally for these bunch of years, only contacting via messaging and some occasional calls. The life of an star pursuer, while took seriously, was pretty busy. And, at the same time, he wanted to be honest and true to his words, to show the people he cared about that he was going to touch his dreams, and hopefully returning to the same situation with them. They would finally become what they truly desired.

"Wow. I'm not surprised or anything, as I knew Shuichi would achieve it since the beginning! But looking at how serious of a detective he has become... It's quite inspiring. You said you help him sometimes, Harumaki?"

Even after these years, he was still using that nickname.

"Yes. We both agreed on not losing contact, it would be utter nonsense... And since he was the one who helped me the most on dealing with the cult, I feel like owing him one. It's not a big deal, anyways."

"Holy shit, that's it! That's what I was expecting from my sidekicks, hehe! I'm glad you finally understood my words and could reach your objectives."

"But you weren't here." _idiot_ , she would add, but she saved that just once. They were adults now. Or at least they tried to be. Talking with Kaito felt like returning to the old days.

"Of course I was. Even if I was flying around the space, I could see Earth, and you both. I cheered up for your triumph every day, as I promised! And look, we have the facts here. You both became what you wished for!"

"There's no way you could see us... But I'm glad you said that. I did it too, looking up at the sky. I said goodnight to the stars so many times..."

"No wonder I could rest up there so peacefully when I needed to, then. I knew you were pushing for the glory of a hero like me, too."

"And still you can't leave that blabbering behind, huh."

They both seemed to smile without any doubts. This kind of conversation made them forget about the tea.

"So, you ended up working at your orphanage! That's something to celebrate too, Harumaki! I was sure that you would take it easy. You're naturally talented for that, you only needed to get a bit more involved with it."

"It isn't like it was easy or something. I fought against the cult slowly, step by step. I got a lot of help from Shuichi, but it was also thanks to that detective girl... Kirigiri. She had contacts that helped trapping them and covering up the case. It took some years..."

"That's good, but the point is that I wasn't expecting the case to be easy. I was expecting you to be able to become what you wanted! That's what matters... I'm sure the detectives did their job after all, as an astronaut must deal with his stuff without complaining, too!"

 _I wouldn't be expecting much..._

Harukawa stopped looking at him, thinking deeply as these graduation memories were still quite vivid for her, as he continued talking now, as he continued cheering her up like if they were at the same point than some years ago...

"I'll be frank. I said it's not that I like kids that much, but, in the end... I'm happy with my work. It's something I wasn't sure of wanting. But guess that when one tries for real..."

"Oi, it's not that you weren't sure. I know that you had that dream resting inside your chest. Training together, talking about ourselves... That got the dream to completely burst out!"

Maki almost closed her eyes, now sporting a quite nostalgic smile. Thinking about her chest, as he mentioned it now, she could feel how a certain pressure that appeared before the welcoming party faded. How much she missed talking this kind of nonsense with him. Brave words that turned into real facts.

"Hey, don't be quiet now. You know that I'm right, you understand how great I am... Someone who can reach the stars, and understand the feelings of those who need a impulse!"

"Momota... You didn't change at all."

He was trying to be on the spotlight here, talking like they both remembered how he was before going to America and put their proximity on hiatus. But as Harukawa said that quite frankly, he stopped, the finger pushing against his own chest returning to an open palm, now rubbing the back of his neck.

"There's no way a hero could change. They can only improve..."

"And that's how we are heroes and heroines... of our own life, right?"

That was one of the first statements he made clear when all three started to train together, marking the start of their relationship at the same time. He felt a bit surprised, and nostalgic, as he only said that once, amongst the many repetitive heroic statements he tried to pull on a daily basis. That one was for real. She remembered it clearly.

"Momota, when you went to America, a little after we graduated... I often ended up thinking that I should've said something to you."

"What? You're as frank as that day before the ceremony, now."

"Perhaps I wanted to say it during that exact time. When we were talking about our many school memories..."

"Well, I returned, Harumaki. Shit, I won't disappear. It isn't like I wasn't going to return to my promise of seeing you again."

"I told you that you haven't changed. But in reality, I don't know if you'll be capable of being honest... Even if I can say it clearly now. I lived through a lot. I'm not having doubts now."

Momota wanted to respond, but he knew perfectly about what she was talking about. He always tried to look frank, honest, but his own feelings betrayed him so many times. He used to think that he wasn't enough for other people, that the same weaknesses that he intensely pushed on overcoming for others were lying inside his own being. He needed to get rid of his own fears, limitations and problems in order to be as open as he wanted. If the thing that Harumaki would have liked to say was that important... He would felt like a coward, probably not capable of responding and trying to run off with the irony of trying to convince himself as, well, not being a coward. It was complicated. He felt like people would expect a lot from him, something more brilliant than just a regular, dreamy boy. But now, he felt like becoming exactly who he wanted to become. Like if the same words he sported without any doubts for others were now a reality in his story.

"I fell for you, Momota. It happened during our school years... I tried to deny these feelings once. I felt like someone like me wasn't able to feel something like that. But when you flew away, I started to think differently."

Harukawa was looking at the astronaut with a completely serious face, but without any traces of doubt. She wasn't trembling, or even blushing. She changed, too. _Improved_ , better said. She decided that whatever would happen from now onwards, she wasn't letting unsaid words to be silenced and lost again.

"... You fell for a guy like me. And even with it, you regretted not saying that."

 _That's because you learnt to love yourself_. He thought, as his own heart was beating fast behind his chest. Back on these days, he would feel weak, and would say something stupid to get rid of the situation. If the opportunity would be given, he only wanted to say that he wanted her to completely love herself. That he did his best to show that it was what she truly needed. He would be scared of being the romantic target for someone, as not believing in himself as much as he believed in others. He wouldn't consider himself as high, in his passionate way of understanding life. However, now it was completely different. She could be frank with her feelings because she loved her current self, he... What was him? Yes, he changed in a way. When you're finally able to talk to the stars face to face, you can talk to yourself with the same intensity. He made up with himself, as he stopped being a fictional hero and turned into a real man. Now, he would act differently, if the situation was given. In the end, she was just talking about these days...

"You dare to say something like that to yourself. But I'm sure about my feelings. I still love you. I didn't stop loving you, ever since you went to follow your dreams."

As soon as he was thinking on the possibility, the situation was given for real. They didn't need to go stargazing to continue talking about themselves. That moment was on the space between their gazing. Now, it was only a small detail, but he remembered how this morning she was in the front of the group waiting for him at the airport. It was a small detail, but he remembered how she indicated him to sit down between her and Shuichi, this afternoon. It was a small detail, but there was that subtle smile over her face when he accepted to have the last drink at her apartment...

"We all went to follow them. We promised it, Harumaki. And now, look at what we achieved!"

"It didn't change our feelings, though. I feel like..."

As she was going to continue responding to his words, time felt like stopping for Momota, just for a second. He thought on how he almost went to his older self, and his words sounded like an excuse to avoid a love confession. But that wasn't what he wanted. He needed to say it too, but him...

"Harumaki, it's quite late! You have to work tomorrow, and I was planning to go visit my family. I noticed you only have a bed. Even with that... Could I sleep here tonight?"

As he interrupted her with these words, which sounded like something completely opposite to an excuse, she felt her own heart pounding. _Don't say stupid things, idiot_. She would say, during these unforgettable school days. But just now, and as same as he felt, that wasn't what she wanted to say.

"... You missed the last train, idiot. It seems that I'm still needing to remind to you how life at Earth works..."

Both of them weren't hiding an honest, tender smile just now. And without any words, without yes or no, the child caregiver got up, offering a small gesture and inviting the astronaut to follow her. He got up with the same passion he had when looking at the door of the spaceship, feeling that a completely new adventure was about to start. This time, it would have two heroes, and a promising future.

He approached her from behind, embracing her body before entering the bedroom and pressing their bodies together. He smiled fondly, as she felt a warm feeling building into her heart. They both nuzzled before he whispered into her ear with the same bravery and honesty she showed with her own feelings. He loved himself too, now, and that let go to...

"I love you too, Harumaki."

They entered the room in a hug, feeling like the precious and vast sky they gazed together so many times, the same he was able to touch once and she looked for during all these years, turned now into the space between themselves, like two stars forming an unique constellation.


End file.
